


Faltering

by PurpleArrowzandLeather



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Angeal is an incredibly patient sibling, Awkward Sephiroth (Compilation of FFVII), Brother Feels, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Genesis doesn't know how to process emotions, Hurt/Comfort, Sane Sephiroth (Compilation of FFVII), Sephiroth (Compilation of FFVII) Needs A Hug, he never gets one :(
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:15:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24301207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleArrowzandLeather/pseuds/PurpleArrowzandLeather
Summary: Sephiroth can be too confident for his own good. This time around, it gets him in trouble.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 54





	Faltering

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing.

It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. 

Genesis knows things rarely ever go according to plan, but now, as massive buildings and trees are crashing down around them, this is further from the reach of planning than he wants to be. Especially with bombs involved. 

“Ready, Genesis?” 

Sephiroth. 

He’s casual as ever, soothing the younger man’s nerves with that smooth confidence of his. Masamune finds its way into the silver-haired SOLDIER’s left hand, long fingers curling around its hilt with practiced grace. Genesis tries not to show his jealousy, wishing he could wield that kind of strength like a shield. 

“Have you seen Angeal?” 

Sephiroth raises his sword to protect himself, Genesis following suit. “No, but I’m sure he’ll be along.” 

The noise is what takes Genesis by surprise – crashing, tearing, and ripping of both cement and wood. It surrounds him in a cacophony of echoes, pounding in his ears. His spell protects him, sword glowing red with power. 

When he lifts his gaze, he releases his hold on the ward, panting. Flames still coat the ruins, branches creaking and groaning and chunks of debris breaking loose. 

Genesis spots Sephiroth standing in his own crater twenty feet away. “Sephiroth?” 

The man in question turns, his gloves torn at the knuckles and his leather armor ripped from his left shoulder and arm. Blood runs from a long cut on his pale skin. When Genesis gets a look at his face, he spots a v-shaped score on his brow, sluggish liquid already trailed down under his jaw. He smiles that confident smile, reassuring Genesis yet again. 

Sephiroth collapses. 

Genesis is frozen for a moment before he leaps into action. “Sephiroth!” 

The silver-haired SOLDIER doesn’t respond, laying still aside from his slow and labored breathing. Genesis crouches over him, shaking Sephiroth. A low groan leaves the man, but he doesn’t wake. The younger of the two calls for him until he’s on the verge of hysterics. He’s never seen anything take Sephiroth by surprise, but evidently, he wasn’t as prepared for the falling debris as he thought. 

“Sephiroth! Wake up!” 

He gets no answer. 

Fighting back panic, Genesis pulls the silver-haired man over his shoulder, grunting from the strain. Sephiroth’s weight is far more than expected, but Genesis can handle it. He has to. 

The auburn-haired SOLDIER stumbles more the farther he goes, the wreckage of the bomb stretching for blocks. Smoke clouds his eyes and muddles his mind, making time's flow almost unknowable. Genesis coughs, his eyes blurring in the heat. He lets go of a small and uneasy noise, staggering a step and half-dropping Sephiroth. He manages to gain his feet again, wandering onward without really knowing where he’s headed. 

A wheeze leaves his mouth and he strains to get a look around. 

“An...geal.” 

The blurry outline of the oldest member of their group emerges from the smoke, coming closer even as Genesis’s consciousness fades. The form reaches for him when he falls down. 

“Genesis.” Angeal grabs Sephiroth before his weight can crush Genesis beneath him, looking the injured man over with a frown. “Got in over your head this time, didn’t you, Seph?” He lifts the man’s chin, frowning when he smears blood across Sephiroth’s face. “Way in over your head.” 

He hefts the man up over his shoulder, regrettably dragging Genesis by the collar of his red leather jacket. 

******* 

Dull throbbing. Sephiroth’s heartbeat shakes his frame. 

“Sephiroth.” 

The silver-haired SOLDIER cracks open an eye, his throat dry and his breaths stressed. He doesn’t move, his body aching as if reminding him something is very wrong. He says nothing, not wanting to sound weak should his mouth not cooperate with him. 

“How’re you feeling?” 

A direct question, requiring an answer. Definitely Angeal. 

“You were roughed up pretty badly.” 

Sephiroth says nothing, closing his eye and sighing. His shoulders and back are both sore and his skull pounds. He doesn’t feel much like holding up against Angeal’s worry at the moment. 

“Don’t suppose you’d answer me if I asked what went wrong?” 

Ringing sends pain to his eyes and the base of his neck, forcing him to at least sit up to press a hand to his forehead. Cold sweat breaks out over his skin, the air around his head feeling lighter. His vision fizzes with snow the moment he opens his eyes. 

“Take it easy. Drink this.” 

Sephiroth takes the liquid without asking what it is, trusting Angeal not to attempt murder while he’s incapacitated. His hand shakes hard enough to warrant guidance from his friend, two pills landing in his other palm. 

“What’s this?” he grits out. Liquid is one thing, but pills? 

“They’re for the pain. If you can keep them down, you should start to feel better in a few minutes. If not, I’ll see what I can figure out.” 

The older man rubs Sephiroth’s back, the action more soothing than he’d ever admit. He pulls the glass of water away, stepping closer and pushing back his hair. The silver-haired man waits patiently for his inspection to end, confused more than anything else. 

“You’ve got a concussion, in case you’re wondering.” 

“How long?” Sephiroth scratches out. 

He sounds just as weak as he feared he would, but Angeal doesn’t seem to notice. He’s still lightly pulling back the bandage on the silver-haired SOLDIER’s head. 

“Well, Genesis has been out a little over a day. Depending on how long he wandered around the blast zone with you, I’d guess you’ve been unconscious a couple hours longer than that yet.” Angeal pauses. “He was trying to carry you, you know.” 

Sephiroth closes his eyes, tilting his head back against the wall. “Always got something to prove.” 

Angeal isn’t a fan of the answer. “I know he can be an ass, but he does care, Seph. We both do, and if that means we occasionally have to save your life, then we’ll do it.” 

“Don’t call me that.” 

“Then be honest with yourself for once.” He tilts Sephiroth’s chin up, shining a flashlight in his eyes. “You’ve definitely improved from yesterday.” 

Sephiroth pulls away, hissing through clenched teeth. 

“I don’t know if you’ll have a scar.” 

“We both know I won’t.” 

Angeal frowns, pulling the bandage from the younger man’s head with a rough yank. “You aren’t invincible, Sephiroth, and snapping at me isn’t going to make you feel better about what you perceive as failure.” 

The silver-haired SOLDIER scowls. “You don’t have to hover over me like a child. I’ll be fine in a couple days.” 

So, that’s how it’s going to be. Angeal glowers at the younger SOLDIER. “I’ll stop hovering over you like a child when you stop acting like one. Genesis almost died trying to save your life and you haven’t even asked after him. Not only that, but you’re being an asshole towards me and I pulled both of you out of that wreckage. I won’t ask you to thank me because I didn’t do it for your damn praise, but the least you could do is pretend to care.” 

The man in question scoffs, turning his head away. “I didn’t ask you to rescue me.” 

“You didn’t have to.” 

Sephiroth takes a deep breath, closing his eyes as he works through what Angeal is trying to tell him. He chews at his lower lip, stubborn to the very last. Angeal is patient enough to wait him out. 

“Where’s Genesis?” 

The words are begrudging, but it’s as good as Angeal is going to get. He sighs to himself, not having intended to lose his cool with the silver-haired SOLDIER. “He’s resting in his own quarters, hooked up to a supply of oxygen and sedated.” 

Angeal applies a lighter bandage to Sephiroth’s head, watching as his friend grits his teeth. 

“I... miscalculated.” 

The black-haired man lifts a brow. 

It takes a few seconds for him to continue, the silver-haired man seeming to force the words out. “I miscalculated and almost got both of us killed.” 

Angeal hadn’t expected him to accept responsibility so quickly, but perhaps the harsh reminder of his shortcomings managed to get through his thick skull. He’s aware Sephiroth isn’t the best with people, and he’s especially not good with friends. He doesn’t always understand why they take risks on his behalf. 

“When I’ve finished tending to your wounds, would you like to go see him?” 

Sephiroth makes a small noise as Angeal pulls the gauze from his arm. It’s confirmation, no matter how slight. He grimaces when looking at the ragged cut on his skin. Angeal takes hold of it with careful hands. 

_“Mmph.”_

“You good?” 

The silver-haired SOLDIER nods. “I’m fine.” 

Angeal accepts the lie, shaking his head to himself as he wraps the wound anew. He helps Sephiroth to his feet. The younger man takes a step, choking back a grunt as he limps. He doesn’t ask what’s wrong, simply continuing on his way. Angeal hides a smile, offering the stubborn SOLDIER an arm to lean on. Sephiroth pauses, looking at the support with hesitance. Angeal isn’t about to force him to take it, but he isn’t sure if the silver-haired man has the common sense to agree to his help. 

Finally, he accepts the assistance. 

They make it to Genesis’s quarters without incident. Sephiroth stands at the foot of his bed, staring at the youngest of them with nervous eyes. Genesis is pale, his face gaunt and sickly. His breaths are audible. 

“Genesis?” 

Angeal is suitably surprised by the innocent hope in Sephiroth’s tone. From experience, he’s only ever known the man to be recklessly confident or self-consciously quiet. Hearing vulnerability from him is certainly a surprise – a welcome one, at that. 

“I’ll see if I can get him to come around, all right?” 

The sound the silver-haired SOLDIER makes in response is low. He shakes his head, the following words a scant whisper. “I never meant for this to happen.” 

“Sephiroth.... I know I was hard on you before, but this isn’t your fault.” 

When he doesn’t answer, Angeal returns to his earlier mission of waking the auburn-haired SOLDIER. He puts a hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently. 

Genesis groans, coughing as he opens his eyes. They’re glassy with sleep and confusion. Angeal removes the dry cloth on his forehead, putting it out towards Sephiroth. The silver-haired SOLDIER takes it without hesitating, tilting his head. 

“What now?” 

“Go wet it in the sink. Squeeze out the excess.” 

Sephiroth stares down at it for a moment, chewing at the inside of his lip in a way that isn’t as subtle as he thinks. He makes his way to the bathroom, grimacing the whole way. Whatever reason he’s limping, he figures it’s deserved for what happened to Genesis. Angeal may not blame him, but that won’t change Sephiroth’s opinion. And Genesis.... 

He’s not sure what Genesis will think. The younger SOLDIER has always been somewhat unpredictable in terms of emotional response. 

With the wet cloth in hand, Sephiroth trails back to the bed. 

“Thank you.” Angeal answers, his tone low and reassuring. “Sit, Seph. You look like you’re about to fall over.” 

“Don’t call me that.” 

The black-haired SOLDIER lifts a brow. “Fine. Sit anyway.” 

Sephiroth settles his weight at the foot of the bed, keeping his distance from Genesis. He doesn’t want to risk upsetting the younger man, and he doesn’t want to get in Angeal’s way. 

“ _Sephiroth?”_

He lifts his head, meeting Genesis’s blue eyes, though they’re half-lidded. 

“He’s fine. Recovering, just like you are.” Angeal dabs at his clammy skin with the cloth. “The two of you are in rough shape.” 

“ _What happened?”_ Genesis croaks. 

“Far as I can tell, the two of you got caught up in the fallout from the explosion. I tried to get you on comms when the trees and buildings started coming down, but I didn’t get a response. You tried to carry Sephiroth to safety. Smoke got to you in the end.” 

The youngest of them nods twice, lifting a blind hand to be held. Angeal takes it, giving Sephiroth a silent order to move to the head of the bed. He frowns at the command, but does as he’s told. 

“ _Help me sit up?”_

Angeal does the majority of the work. 

Even fully awake, Genesis seems out of it. Despite their more in-depth discussion of what went down, he leans over against Sephiroth and passes out. The silver-haired SOLDIER stiffens in confusion, looking to Angeal for help. 

The older smirks. “He trusts you.” 

“I almost -” 

The black-haired SOLDIER lifts a hand to stop him, well aware that Sephiroth is under no law to obey his orders. He quiets anyway. 

“You can’t dwell on almost. You’re our friend, Sephiroth. It may be hard to accept, but we’re going to look out for you if we can. I know you prefer to take care of yourself, but we’re here for you, too.” 

Sephiroth listens to Genesis’s heavy breaths, an uncertain expression lining his features. 

“I expect he’ll want you around for the next couple days. In his eyes, you’re practically invincible, so seeing you unconscious and bleeding probably gave him quite a scare.” 

Angeal will refrain from mentioning his own worries. He’s given the silver-haired man enough of a guilty conscience for one day. 

“I.... I don’t know how.” 

“Just hang around. He’ll pretend to hate it, but he’ll be glad you’re there. You know how Genesis gets.” 

Sephiroth manages a smile, a bit surer of himself. “That I do.” 

Angeal gives the youngest SOLDIER’s hand a squeeze, leaving the bed to get a glass of water for Sephiroth. His voice is starting to give out, though his advanced healing is making it difficult to tell. The man in question takes it with a grain of salt, knowing he needs it. Despite what he'd like to believe, he needs help sometimes, too.

“Angeal?” Sephiroth intones, taking the glass with quiet gratitude. 

“Yes?” 

He works his jaw, trying to decide of his phrasing. He decides on bluntness. “You’re staying, too, right?” 

“If you want me to.” 

Sephiroth doesn’t say ‘yes’ per se, but the look in his eyes say everything he needs it to. Angeal picks up Genesis’s copy of _Loveless_ from the nightstand and starts reading from the beginning. Sephiroth rolls his eyes, pulling a knee up towards his chest so he can rest his head. 

If he ends up falling asleep, that’s no one’s business but his own. 

If Angeal just so happens to sneak a picture of his surrogate siblings.... Well, he’ll just be keeping that information to himself. There’s nothing quite like a bit of blackmail material. 


End file.
